[megabigeye]

@sinquito, is the plastic wrapper in the battery able to be removed? If so, maybe there's a product number on the battery. It looks like it's just clipped in with those black and red wires, which leads me to believe that it's relatively easy to replace if you know the model.

Also, to the thread at large: how long have people been using their NX4 DSDs? I'm kinda interested in getting one, but one of the recurring complaints on Amazon is that they seem to crap out after a few months. Anybody had this problem it can anybody allay my fears about this?

 

[sinquito]

@sinquito, is the plastic wrapper in the battery able to be removed? If so, maybe there's a product number on the battery. It looks like it's just clipped in with those black and red wires, which leads me to believe that it's relatively easy to replace if you know the model.

Also, to the thread at large: how long have people been using their NX4 DSDs? I'm kinda interested in getting one, but one of the recurring complaints on Amazon is that they seem to crap out after a few months. Anybody had this problem it can anybody allay my fears about this?

I did not try to remove the battery, but as you say, visually it seems that is very easy to remove. I don't want to open the unit again unless is really necessary as the alignment of the panels with the chassis is not really easy to accomplish given the two long screws that held the panels.

I haven't had any Topping products before but I have read that they honor the warranty, only problem seems that you need to send back the unit back to China.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

@sinquito

Also, to the thread at large: how long have people been using their NX4 DSDs? I'm kinda interested in getting one, but one of the recurring complaints on Amazon is that they seem to crap out after a few months. Anybody had this problem it can anybody allay my fears about this?

I've been using mine for about 6 months and it works great. I even dropped it once. The battery is long lasting, the gain is nice with the headphones that need it and the bass boost on some tracks with the neutral headphones.

No complaints.

 

[megabigeye]

How does it sound fed from the X5's line-out compared to the NX4's built-in DAC? I'm currently using the X5 Mk.I into an E12A. It sounds great to my ear, but it's a cumbersome stack and the UI of the X5 is abysmal. I'd use the NX4 as a DAC with my phone.

 

[Spareribs]

How far do you have to turn the volume knob up to get the HD600 up to good listening levels? I'm interested in knowing what a max of 114 mW@300 ohms sounds like in practice.

I just tested it with a sennheiser hd600 listening to a Diana Krall/ Tony Bennett collaboration recording and the volume knob was set to around 11:30 or maybe 12 o’clock with the high gain setting.

I’m using an iPhone as my source (No headphone jack on the iPhone) I gotta admit, it sounds pretty good and I’m satisfied with the Topping and Sennheiser combination and I give it a thumbs up. Topping did a good job.

But since this is a portable unit, I’m mostly gonna use it with IEMs.

 

[TiborG]

How does it sound fed from the X5's line-out compared to the NX4's built-in DAC? I'm currently using the X5 Mk.I into an E12A. It sounds great to my ear, but it's a cumbersome stack and the UI of the X5 is abysmal. I'd use the NX4 as a DAC with my phone.

If you don't like the X5 MK1 sound, the NX4 DSD produces even drier sound for my ears than the FiiO X5 when connected via Line Out. Typical SABRE DAC.The output power is roughly the same. Changing headphones is probably the only real change. It's a great pity that the NX4 doesn't have SPDIF in.
I am happy with NX4 for connecting as DAC / AMP with Android.

Finally, I found a way to reliably get audio from other players like Neutron or UAPP.
Settings / Developer Options / USB Configuration / Audio Source. Only after Android restarts any music app including Youtube or NewPipe.
(for my Samsung Galaxy S6, Android 8.0). Even the android remembered the USB audio settings after restart.
There are quite a few people who say that AMP can't change the sound from the line output, but I think NX4 DSD theories aren't interested in changing the sound - according to the source

 

[PlasticBertrand]

Been using the NX4DSD as a desktop dac/amp plugged into my 2010 iMac, servicing a pair Sennheiser HD599s. Had my eye open for a bigger desktop amp (which I may get still just for a bigger volume knob), but with the HD599 this combo is more than enough for me. The gain switch is useful on some music, but very useful for spoken voice/podcasts, gives some instant oomph to fainter voices. As a couple of people have pointed out in various forums, the line out seems to produce a marginally more detailed sound than the headphone out, but if you switch the gain up then I can't hear any difference. I'm guilty of wasting money on gadgets generally, but I'll get my money's worth with this one.

 

[sinquito]

Been using the NX4DSD as a desktop dac/amp plugged into my 2010 iMac, servicing a pair Sennheiser HD599s. Had my eye open for a bigger desktop amp (which I may get still just for a bigger volume knob), but with the HD599 this combo is more than enough for me. The gain switch is useful on some music, but very useful for spoken voice/podcasts, gives some instant oomph to fainter voices. As a couple of people have pointed out in various forums, the line out seems to produce a marginally more detailed sound that the headphone out, but if you switch the gain up then I can't hear any difference. I'm guilty of wasting money on gadgets generally, but I'll get my money's worth with this one.

As far as I know, the line out should bypass the amp section and thus be fixed (2 Volts generally) with no changes from the pot or gain switch. Maybe it sounds cleaner as you are hearing directly the sound of the DAC without the amp causing coloring if any.

 

[PlasticBertrand]

thanks sinquito, yes, that would make sense. It's not a huge difference but it's there if you look for it, with higher quality recordings anyway.

 

[Ainalcar]

Well, sadly i came to this thread to share my not-so-good experience about this piece of hardware.

I've posted recently about the issue I had in this thread -

Spoiler

Hey,

I've recently bought the NX4 and there is a VERY strange issue I've encountered.

My setup is simple: PC - NX4 - MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Closed

When I listen to music (no matter how long) everything is fine, but if i take off the headset off and put the earcups together (which it does on it's own) there is a chance that either one or both earcups will stop working and produce a low hum/beep instead of the supposed sound.

This happens disregarding the fact if music is playing or not when the earcups are put together.

Turning the NX4 off and on again fixes the issue. Unplugging and replugging the Headphones sometimes partially fixes it (the sounds reappears but with cracks and distortions).

I'm really at a loss how the relative vicinity of earcups can lead to such an issue.

I'll be thankful for any insight you can give me.

Regards

When I was trying to prove the issue to aliexpress by recording it on video the right side completely died down. Even with that I only got half of the price back (80$).
Later I took it apart and connected it to some cheap headphones to do some tinkering since there was not much more to lose. When poking with a screwdriver at the chips i found one that crackled in the right ear when poked on.
After disconnecting and turning it off i tried my best to discharge any local static buildup on this chip. After successfully doing so the right side started working again.
It did not fix my original issue with the DAC but at least the occasional hiccup can be fixed now by turning it on and off again.
I've given the included cables a go since i got my new smartphone this week and they don't work either.

I'm not sure how good the support is in the US but in EU I strongly suggest not to buy it from aliexpress.

Have a good day.

 

[sinquito]

Well, sadly i came to this thread to share my not-so-good experience about this piece of hardware.

I've posted recently about the issue I had in this thread -

When I was trying to prove the issue to aliexpress by recording it on video the right side completely died down. Even with that I only got half of the price back (80$).
Later I took it apart and connected it to some cheap headphones to do some tinkering since there was not much more to lose. When poking with a screwdriver at the chips i found one that crackled in the right ear when poked on.
After disconnecting and turning it off i tried my best to discharge any local static buildup on this chip. After successfully doing so the right side started working again.
It did not fix my original issue with the DAC but at least the occasional hiccup can be fixed now by turning it on and off again.
I've given the included cables a go since i got my new smartphone this week and they don't work either.

I'm not sure how good the support is in the US but in EU I strongly suggest not to buy it from aliexpress.

Have a good day.

The included micro usb to type c is very twitchy, sometimes works and sometimes it cuts the connection with my phone, so I bought one from amazon (5 USD, 1 feet long, braided). I know that this is not ideal, but at least they ship with one. The USB type A is very much working on my desktop without problem.

 

[fokta]

When your bench player is up...
NX4DSD will do the job done

 

[tracyca]

How does the nx4 sound with the Solaris.

 

[jasonb]

I velcro'd my NX4DSD to a cheap phone case and just stick my phone in the case when I want to use the NX4DSD. I didnt want velco attached to my everyday case, so I got a cheap $8 case on Amazon and just use it for this purpose. My phone is a Pixel 3a, and I use the UAPP app.

 

[josesol07]

Hi, anyone using NX4 to drive Tin Audio P1?
sorry if this has been asked before
Jose